Document LNoL74kNLEKjggOQjabrggO7

f\) l V-->c. J. N. Atkinsop^ COfr ro ilL/j-H'il/WPIl/llCL JIIH/MjjfVWiH/KIt;/ PLAINTIFF'S exhibit JM-2179 l6th January 1975 / Health find Safety at Work otc. Act 1974 1 Among the additional duties imposed by t!:e Health and Safety at Work otc. Act with effect from 1st April 1975 is that contained in Section 6 vhoreby manufacturers and suppliers arc required to make available to customers adequ ate information to ensure that products will bo safe and without -isk to .heal th vlicn properly usod. Early action is colled for in this connection in viav of tlio need to prepare and possibly print tho warnings and information required coupled with tho fact that it is our intention to sook, through the relevant trade associations, the adoption of standard practices wherever posaiblo. i 11 know that in some ensos individual Unit Companies have already given consideration to tho action requirod under Section 6 and the purpose of this noto is to bring you up-todate with tliq way in which thpso most closely concernod at T&N bcliovo the problem should bo tackled. At. tho samo tins, thought has been given to tho possible need to label certain products, the use of which might give riso to health risks. Generally, theso questions havo boon considered in relation to asbestos and asbestos based products and in tho caso of Unit Companies whoso products give riso to different hazards this circular is acco.'npaniod by a separate note. Section 6 It Is proposed to recommend to tho Asbestos Inform ation Committee (AlC), who aro already considering tho whole question, that tlio asbestos industry should be advised to adopt a paragraph along tho following lines .(modified os appropriate to tako account of. tho particular materials concorned in each ease) for inclusion in sales literature and as a postscript to Conditions of Sale. However, boforo tho proposal is put forward formally 1 should bo grateful for your comments so that TiN's representatives on tho AlC can bo cortnin that Unit Company views arc adequately taken into Account:- "llcnl th and Satetv at Work etc. Act 197^ /m<0..r.v. ;-^7 procue ts are /jisbo: cor reinforced of I le.*./ and :cuinon with.nil url>. . i'- based fin tor: nlare subject to tin requirements of the A.bos ton Siegul nti hi:-: 1969 nnd tho JJoal th and Safety at Work etc. Act l??-. Curtain tifin.H with m.ii.ci-inlj*Jr<'<|ui vn precau tions to bo Lukoil to ciimii c L!i.t Limy will be safe atui without rj sks to health when prop'rJy used. The publications of tho Asbestos in Research Council which describe tlieso precautions can bo obtained direct from tin' Environmental Control Coi.mtittee nf tho Council, 11** l'nrlt Street, London W.l. or from ^f.\C Construction Materials LtJ/." Sect inn 1 r) f.? 1 ; Schedule 1, Ppi'firrnrh 1 (U) These provisions enable the Secretary of State to make regulations requiring the labelling of any substance. While it in unlikely that this power will be exercised on the 1st April .1^73, it is Icncvn that asbestos is high on tho list of substances recorded as dangerous in the workplace by the l'actory Insneetorn to and accordingly asbestos products ore thougnt 1-ikoly to be the subject of a labelling obligation at a fairly early date. Thc.AIC bclie,'e<j that it would bo wise for tho asbestos industry to anticipate the likely legal requirement by the introduction of a label at this stage in a form with which it is itself satisfied in the belief that thin will reduce significantly tho risk of tho imposition of a label by legislative action. It is suggested that tho label should toko tho following form:- WARNING Avoid creating dust Contains asbestos fibros Dreathing asbestos dust may cause sorious disoaso {/'"A'X // A\\ V Vj c \v > TAKE CARE WITH ASUESTOS Similnr wording already appears on labols in uso by as bestor. fibre producers both within TAN and elsewhere throughout the world. Will you please let me know your views with regard to tho form of tho proposed label and to the recommendation tJi.-it laboilinc bo inti odncud in Liu* ca-* oi' uehcslos product* al an early r. taco no tv i thatandiu,'; tho absenco of a local rcqvii rofiont. jma/mre Enc. f. H. ATKINSOU Tho above proposals have boon proparod. in conjunction vithj- * B. Lincoln, Croup Environmental Co-ordinator M.F. Hove, Deputy Chairman, AIC W.P. Howard, Secrotary, A1C Dr. H.C. Lowinsohn, Croup Medical Officor